Finger thimble for telephone dials



Feb. 24, 1931. E. ,0. Hu NTER 1,794 33 FINGER THIMBLE FOR TELEPHONE DIALS Filed Ma 27, 1929 Patented Feb. 24, 1931 unrrao stares Pars rice FINGER THTMBLE FOR TELEPHONE DIALS Applica on filed May 27,

This invention relates to a thimble and particularly to such a thimble adapted to be used in connection with an automatic telephone dial.

thimble of this type which may be applitd to the finger of an operator of an automatic telephone dial in order to assist in the operating of the dial and to prevent-injury to the finger in such operation. Another object of the invention is the provision in such a thinible of a means for supporting the thimble, when not in use in the dial in such a way that it will not be readily removed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the following description and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Lilte reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the fi wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic telephone station illustrating the mode of use of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the thimble removed from the finger and from the dial of the telephone set. I

The thimble is formed of any suitable ma terial and by any suitable process. For the purposes of illustration however, it is shown as being" stamped from a sheet of aluminum. The body portion 10 is tapered and provided with a head 11 at its upper edge, and a supporting head 12 at the lower portion thereof. The tip 13 is of any suitable shape and con stitutes a projection for entering a selected opening 14: in the dial member of the tele-- 4 phone set.

The tip 13 is therefore of a size which will readily enter the opening 1% but which will neatly fit said opening when the portion 15 of the thimble immediately below the head 12 lies within the opening 14. It will be appreciated that the head 12 forms a support for the thimhle while resting in the said opening 1%. lVhile in the opening the thimble is free to rotate and the fit of the thimhle such that in such rotation necessarily oc- The object of the invention is to provide a gures of the drawing.

29. serial No. 366,282.

' curring in the operation of the dial, there will be a minimum of friction betweenthe thin'ible and the dialplate. The tip is shallow enough, to avoid reaching to the bottom or" the dial when the thimble is in place.

At 16 there is shown a weight which may be applied within the thimble or which may he applied'outside of the thimble to. act as a stabilizing element so that the thimhle when inserted in any opening 14 will lie with its bead .12 in contact at all points with the dial plate so that the finger may be inserted in the thiiulole without'any delay. This stabilizing element will also act as a positioning means for the thimble in case it is out of the opening 14 as when it is placed on a desk, so that the thimble will always whether in use or not, present the flaredmouth 17 upward, whereby the operator may readily insert the finger. I i

The body portion 10 as pointed out is flared from the supporting head 12 to the rolled edge or head 11 and is of such size that it will accommodate fingers of a variety of sizes. The rolled or beaded edge 11 is provided for the protection of the operator.

The device'may be supplied as standard equipment for the set or it may be employed as a novelty on which advertising matter 7 may be applied in any desired manner.

The use. of the thimble will be apparent from the foregoing. When it is desired to use the thimble in operating adial, the finger usually employed by the operator is inserted in the thimble and the friction produced by" this insertion is such as to permit the lifting of the finger with the thimble thereon that it may be transferred from one opening to another in the dial. It will be approciated that when it is inserted it will rest upon the face of the dial with the supporting head 12 immediately above said face and that the dial may be rotated by the use of the thimble in the same manner as it would have been rotated without its use, with the advantags that the finger of the operator is protected against friction between the finger and the dial plate. It is also protected from the dust that may accumulate in the dial. There is a further protection against the injury of" fingernails by the use of the thimble with the automatic telephone dial.

When it is desired to remove the thimble from the finger it is only necessary to turn the finger slightly in the thimble so as to reduce the friction between the thimble and the finger, whenthe thimble will drop from the finger and come to rest in one of the openings 14 in the dial. The weight 16 will contribute to this result because it will cause the thimble to drop in a vertical direction with the tip entering the dial opening. If,

however, the thimble should notv fall: in theopening but upon the desk top or like element then the thimble will present to the operator,

when it is. desired to again use thethimble in the telephone set, an open mouth upwardly.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a thimble for use in operating a dial of an automatic telephone, a flared body for the reception of the finger of the operator, a tip below said body for guiding the entrance of the thimble into the dial opening, and means between said body and tip for remov ably and rotatably supporting the thinible in the dial opening.

2. In a thimble for use in operating the dial of an automatic telephone a body portion adapted to fit the finger of an operator, a tip below said body portion and a bead between the said body and tip for supporting said thimble in a dial opening.

3; A thimble for use in operating the dial of an automatic telephone having a body portion to receive the end of the finger of an operator, a loaded tip below said body for guiding and righting said. thimble in a dial opening, and means between said body and tip for supporting the thimble in said openin a i %n testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWARD ORMONDE HUNTER. 

